2011 Demonstration Track

Bigger is Better: Using Giant Creatures To Promote Your Event
Kevin Alvey of Gore Galore
www.goregalore.com
Demo/Tech Session 1 – Friday – 9:00 am – 10:00 am

Kevin will show attendees how to best use Giant Live Action Creatures in marketing to help generate Haunted Attraction attendance. He will also discuss how to use these same creatures within the event to create an in-your-face, head-turning, heart-pounding, jaw-dropping experience for every customer. Kevin will cover the Gore Galore philosophy of haunting, and explain how this perspective can impact the Haunt audience in numerous ways.

Essential Audacity
Jon Williams & John Barrowman of EFX-TEK
www.efx-tek.com
Demo/Tech Session 2 – Friday – 10:15 am – 11:15 am

Those that work in any audio-visual endeavor, from movies to dark attractions, will readily acknowledge that audio is at least half of the user experience; bad audio means a bad experience. Using Audacity, a free, cross-platform audio creation and editing tool, you’re no longer stuck with canned sound effects. With a little bit of effort you can create your own, all perfectly matched to your attraction. In this seminar, attendees will learn how to record, edit, and export sound effects. Beyond the basics, attendees will learn some “Hollywood insider” tricks for creating great sounds and effects.

How to Market Your Haunt with Photography 201
Jason Dasti & Melissa McKnight of Haunt Yourself Productions
Demo/Tech Session 3 – Friday – 11:30 am – 12:30 pm

The power of images can’t be underestimated. Now – more than ever – haunters need to understand how to take great and compelling pictures. In this interactive workshop, attendees will learn how to kick their photography skills up to the next level. 

Requirement: Bring your digital camera equipment. The workshop will be broken down into smaller groups to practice the key components of engaging photography, so a camera is a must.

This class will cover numerous aspects of image composition, including:

“Noise” & Color Contrast
Best Positioning
Depth
Framing the Shot
Your Focus
How to Shop

A special online resource will be provided after the class, a photography “lifeline” for attendees once they begin to apply the lessons learned in their own haunts.

DMX Lighting for Your Haunt: The Future of Haunt Lighting
Rhett Holmes of The Hex House / Tulsa Underground Circus
Demo/Tech Session 4 – Friday – 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm

Imagine being able to control and adjust every light in your haunted attraction – individually or in concert – from one central computer, with nearly limitless programming possibilities (flickering, strobing, sequencing, dimming, etc.) DMX technology takes haunted house lighting to a whole new level of control and sophistication. This seminar will provide an overview of DMX lighting technology and its application in the haunted attraction industry. Rhett will discuss the background of the technology, its place in the live music and pyrotechnic industries, how it works, how much it costs, some of its benefits vs. other lighting systems and how to get started with DMX. Rhett will also give a live demonstration of a DMX setup.

Scare Power: A Guide to Powering Your Props and Scares
Doug Anderson of Fright Props   
www.frightprops.com
Demo/Tech Session 5 – Saturday – 9:00 am – 10:00 am

Curious about how to make things move in your haunt? Doug Anderson from Fright Props will cover the different ways to power props in this comprehensive session. He will detail the pros and cons of the different devices and power sources available, and will help you choose the best way to achieve the action and (hence) desired reaction from your guests. Doug will also address maintenance and safety considerations for all of the powering methods and devices discussed.

Advanced Controller Programming
Jon Williams & John Barrowman of EFX-TEK
Demo/Tech Session 6 – Saturday – 10:15 am – 11:15 am

Move beyond the basics and really make your prop come alive. In this seminar, attendees will learn about creating reliable input returns for one or more sensors, using randomness to create realistic movement, controlling servos and communicating with external devices like audio players. If you’re tired of the same old “extend, make a noise, retract” programs, this seminar is for you. It will focus on the Prop-1 controller, but all code samples are easily moved to the Prop-2.

Dramatic Traumatic Make-Up On the Cheap: A Hands-On Workshop
Dusty June of Embodiment FX
Demo/Tech Session 7 – Saturday – 11:30 am – 12:30 pm

Everyone has a budget. Even if you’re only spending a little cash on makeup, you still want to keep it looking great. Dusty will guide attendees towards some very dramatic traumatic effects in this lively session. Dusty and her minions will break the class down into smaller groups and have attendees try their hands at this unique style of makeup. If you want to get bloody before the Costume Ball, this session is for you!

Foam Texturing Techniques
Jeff & Chris Davis and crew of the Davis Graveyard
Demo/Tech Session 8 – Saturday – 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm

The creators of the acclaimed Davis Graveyard home haunt will demonstrate their process for texturing foam. This crew’s impressive credits include creating hundreds of foam textured panels for ABC’s Extreme Home Makeover of Nightmare Factory in Salem, Oregon. This session will show attendees firsthand how to texture foam to look like stone, brick, cinderblock and aged wood. It will illustrate how to use different types of foam for different applications. Attendees will learn which tools work best for what technique. No matter what the foam-based project, Jeff and Chris will teach you how to create the perfect faux surface.

Creating Atmosphere with Airborne Effects
Chris Markgraf of Froggy’s Fog
www.froggysfog.com
Demo/Tech Session 9 – Sunday – 9:00 am – 10:00 am

Looking for ways to create a “creepy” atmosphere at your haunted event? This session will show you many different ways you can enhance your guests’ experience through the use of different airborne effects. Since airborne effects have the ability to manipulate the senses, there are many ways to make guests “feel” your event. Attendees will learn about different equipment that can be utilized to create these special effects. Chris will help you decide what airborne effects work best for the sensory experience you are trying to share with people coming through your event.

Panel Discussion: Sound Advice
Industry Experts
Demo/Tech Session 10 – Sunday – 10:30 am – 11:30 am

“Sound” advice can be difficult to come by in the haunt industry, but this panel’s experts have it in spades. Come ready with questions about all things audio: these pros are here to field your sound-related inquiries, from basic concerns to tricky conundrums. Several specialists with diverse viewpoints will be on hand, so discussion will be lively. Get your issues heard by the best in the business!
Moderation for this panel will be provided by Dick Terhune

Faux Painting Demonstration
Jeremiah Traylor
Demo/Tech Session 11 – Sunday – 11:30 am – 12:30 pm

Learn how to add depth and detail to your attraction quickly and easily, with faux painting. Jeremiah has refined many time-tested techniques, and he will share these faux looks with attendees. The painting processes to be discussed include washing, bleeding, sponging, wipe, stenciling, marble and splatter techniques. Faux painting is not as difficult as it sounds; Jeremiah will show you how to add age and complexity to your attraction’s appearance without needing to be a painting expert.

Taming the Tangle: Wire, Cable and Cord Management
Byron P. Hynes of Acute Theatrics
Demo/Tech 12 – Sunday – 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm

How many wires crisscross the back hallways of your haunt? Are they organized? Are they safe? Are you afraid to touch them? This session looks at the basics of haunt wiring, and is intended for operators and enthusiasts who aren’t electricians and don’t have degrees in electrical engineering. Learn some of the basics of connecting low-voltage wiring (control, audio, networks, etc.) and the essentials you need to know before opening the cover on household or high-voltage connections. Learn how to improve safety and keep your electrical inspectors happy. Gain the confidence to tackle basic wiring tasks on your own.